Egg carton



A Jun@ 20,1933..` M BURGER ,www

EGG CARTON Filed spt. 15, 1931l j rmmmllllmn 5 closed carton, in a closed condition, only a' fragment of the carton being .'shown; and Fig. 3 is a perspective view ofthe fragment Patented .ame 2o, 1933 UNITED- s'rA'n-asv PATENT-OFFICE MARTIN BURGER, OF MORRIS, ILLINOIS EGG CARTON Application led September 15, 1931. Serial No. 562,903.

o ing cross and longitudinal partitions; and it may therefore be said to have for its object to produce a simple and novel cellular carton. The various features of novelty whereby my invention is characterized will herein- .after be pointed out with particularity in the claims; but, for a full understandingof my invention and of its objects and advantages, referencev may 'be had to the following detailedv description taken in connection with the accompanying dra-wing, wherein:

Figure 1 isa perspective view of a carton embodying the present invention, the lid orcover being'shown open; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal center section through the of the carton, showing one of the cross partitions in the condition in which it is prior to being interlocked with the llongitudinal partition'. In the drawing I have illustrated my invention only as appliedto a special type of carton and, for thesake of brevity, shall vc'online the detailed description to this artcular embodiment; although it will o course Ibe understood that my invention isnot lim? ited to cartons of this particular type 'or to cartons, as such.

Referring to the drawing, '1, 1 represent cross partitionsY forming part of a cellular carton which is veryv similar in general con struction'to a type of egg carton now in wide use.l In other Words, these c ross partitions are shown vvas forming part of the` single blank which is cut and folded vto produce Ifront'and rear` walls, 2 and 3 a combined bottom and central longitudinal partition, anda cover 4. The tached at their upper front corners to the cross partitions are atfront wall, and at their upper rear corners to a long narrow strip 5 .which is glued to the rear wall; this being common construction to permit the cross partitions to be swung l between positions in which they lie in the plane of the top of the carton, and positions in which/they extend downwardly at right angles to such plane. Furthermore, in the arrangement shown, the combined bottom and central longitudinal partition is formed of what may be termed four contiguous sections 6, 7,"8 and 9. The sections 6 and V9v form the actual bottom, being indclined upwardly from the front' and rear walls, re-

spectively, toward the longitudinal center.

The sections 7 and 8 form the central longitudinal partition which, in cross section, is

theshape of a narrow inverted V. Theheight of the central longitudinal partition,

taking into consideration only this 'particular form of carton, is preferably such that the ridge thereof lies far below the cover when the carton is set up although, if desired, it might extend clear to the cover.

The longitudinal partition has slots cut into the` same transversely of and downwardly through the ridge to receive the cross partitionsm Theseslots, preferably slightly wider than the thickness of the cardboard of whichjthe carton is made, extend straight down as indicated at 10 and, a short distance from the ridge, are undercut to produce downwardly facing shoulders. Or, in other words, the carton material bounding one side of each of the slots in the crosspartition may be said to constitute ahook.

yThe cross partitions 'are formed, at the middle 'of the lower edges, with short flaps l 12 partially severed therefrom, `to permit the flaps to be folded up beside the body portion of the partitions. The vertical 'dimensions of each of these flaps 12- are approximately equal to the distance from the bottom of each vslot 10 in the longitudinal partition to the partition when the cross partition bottoms in the slot. By leaving the material of the cross partitions in such condition that the flaps will tend to swing outwardly therefrom and back into their original positions, after having been bent up, the flaps will act in the manner of spring tongues which, as

soon as their free upper ends pass below the shoulders 11, will snap under these shoulders as indicated in Figs. l and 2, and will thereafter act as struts or braces 0n the upper ends of which the longitudinal partition is supported.

It will be seen that with an interlock of the type just described it becomes unnecessary to cut slots or notches in the upper edges of the cross walls or partitions and, therefore, these partitions may be provided with comparatively long horizontal upper edge portions 14 at the middle; these edge portions engaging with the cover of the carton when the latter is closed, and forming a firm support for the cover along the longitudinal center of the latter.

While I have illustrated and described my invention with particularity only as applied to a type of carton which provides further advantages and may be said to be an elaboration of my invention, considered in its broadest aspects, I do not desire to be limited to the exact structural details thus illustrated and described; but intend to cover all forms and arrangements which come within the definitions of my invention constituting the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A carton comprising front and rear walls, a cover, a bottoml member folded t0 form a shallow central longitudinal partition composed of two thicknesses of material and two inclined bottom wall sections extending downwardly therefrom to the lower edges of the front and rear walls, and cross partitions hung at their upper ends from the front and rear walls; said longitudinal partition having transverse slots cut down through the ridge thereof and undercut on one side to produce downwardly facing shoulders; said cross partitions extending into said slots and having side portions extending down to said inclined bottom wall sections; and said cross partitions having thereon tongues rising therefrom underneath and into contact with the shoulders in the corresponding slots in the longitudinal partition.

2. In an egg carton, front and rear walls, a bottom section folded upwardly along its central portion to form a longitudinal partition, said partition being provided with downwardly extending slots having an undercut portion forming a shoulder, and cross partitions mounted in said slots, said cross partitions having a portion pivoted below said shoulder and folded upwardly and .being less than the width of said folded portion.

In testimony whereof, I sign this specification.

MARTIN BURGER. 

